The '''islands of the Caribbean Sea''' or '''West Indies''' are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the [[islands of the Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic Ocean]], mostly strung between [[North America|North]] and [[South America]]. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more ''independent'' travel. With year-round good weather (with the minor exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from [[Europe]] and [[North America]], and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone.

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The '''islands of the Caribbean Sea''' or '''West Indies''' are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly strung between [[North America|North]] and [[South America]]. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more ''independent'' travel. With year-round good weather (with the occasional but sometimes serious exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from [[Europe]] and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone.

== Understand ==

== Understand ==

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==Regions==

==Regions==

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[[Image:Map of the Caribbean.png|thumb|right|500px|Map of the Carribean]]

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[[Cuba]], [[Dominican Republic]], [[Haiti]], [[Jamaica]], [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Cayman Islands]], often grouped as '''Greater Antilles''', are by far the largest countries in the area and the most visited by travellers. In the north is the '''Lucayan Archipelago''', which includes The [[Bahamas]] and the [[Turks and Caicos Islands]]. The Caribbean also includes the '''Lesser Antilles''', a group of much smaller islands to the east. Further to the west and south, there are various less frequently visited islands that belong to Central and South American countries.

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[[Cuba]], [[Dominican Republic]], [[Haiti]], [[Jamaica]] and [[Puerto Rico]], often grouped as '''Greater Antilles''', are by far the largest countries in the area and the most visited by travellers. The Caribbean also includes the '''Lesser Antilles''', a group of much smaller islands to the east.

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=== Lucayan Archipelago ===

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===Greater Antilles===

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{{Regionlist

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| regionmap=Map of the Caribbean.png

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| regionmaptext=Nations and territories of the Caribbean

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| regionmapsize=500px

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* [[Cuba]]

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| region1name=[[Bahamas]]

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* [[Dominican Republic]]

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| region1color=#FFD0D0

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* [[Haiti]]

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| region1items=

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* [[Jamaica]]

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| region1description=a cluster of islands north of the Greater Antilles and southeast of [[Florida]]

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* [[Puerto Rico]]

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===Lesser Antilles===

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| region2name=[[Turks and Caicos Islands]]

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| region2color=#8E908D

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| region2items=

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| region2description=a cluster of islands south of [[The Bahamas]]

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The Lesser Antilles can be divided into three groups.

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}}

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=== Greater Antilles ===

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{{Regionlist

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| region1name=[[Cuba]]

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| region1color=#71B37B

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| region1items=

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| region1description=

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| region2name=[[Cayman Islands]]

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| region2color=#C8C8C8

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| region2items=

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| region2description=a small island close to Cuba that functions as an offshore financial centre

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| region3name=[[Dominican Republic]]

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| region3color=#68A9C4

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| region3items=

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| region3description=

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| region4name=[[Haiti]]

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| region4color=#B383B3

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| region4items=

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| region4description=

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| region5name=[[Jamaica]]

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| region5color=#D56D76

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| region5items=

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| region5description=

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| region6name=[[Puerto Rico]]

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| region6color=#D5DC76

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| region6items=

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| region6description=

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}}

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=== Lesser Antilles ===

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The Lesser Antilles can be further divided into three groups:

====Leeward Islands====

====Leeward Islands====

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* [[Anguilla]]

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{{Regionlist

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* [[Antigua and Barbuda]]

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* [[British Virgin Islands]]

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* [[Dominica]]

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* [[Guadeloupe]]

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* [[Montserrat]]

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* [[Saba]]

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* [[Saint Barthelemy]]

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* [[Saint Eustatius]]

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* [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]

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* [[Saint Martin]]

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* [[U.S. Virgin Islands]]

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===Windward Islands===

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| region1name=[[Anguilla]]

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| region1color=#DADADA

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| region1items=

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| region1description= Just a 20 minutes ride away by boat from Saint Martin, Anguilla is a member of the British Commonwealth of nations, Anguilla is not very touristy (yet), but has incredible white sand beaches.

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* [[Barbados]]

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| region2name=[[Antigua and Barbuda]]

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* [[Grenada]]

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| region2color=#71B37B

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* [[Martinique]]

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| region2items=

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* [[Saint Lucia]]

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| region2description= Known for its 365 beaches, one for each day of the year.

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* [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]

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* [[Trinidad and Tobago]]

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===ABC Islands===

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| region3name=[[British Virgin Islands]]

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| region3color=#DADADA

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| region3items=

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| region3description=

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* [[Aruba]]

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| region4name=[[Dominica]]

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* [[Bonaire]]

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| region4color=#A78379

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* [[Curaçao]]

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| region4items=

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| region4description= Caters for the eco and budget minded travelers.

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| region5name=[[Guadeloupe]]

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| region5color=#68A9C4

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| region5items=

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| region5description=

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| region6name=[[Montserrat]]

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| region6color=#DADADA

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| region6items=

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| region6description=

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| region7name=[[Saba]]

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| region7color=#DADADA

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| region7items=

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| region7description=

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| region8name=[[Saint-Barthélemy]]

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| region8color=#DADADA

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| region8items=

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| region8description=

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| region9name=[[Sint Eustatius]]

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| region9color=#DADADA

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| region9items=

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| region9description=

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| region10name=[[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]

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| region10color=#BCBCBC

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| region10items=

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| region10description=

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| region11name=[[Saint Martin]]

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| region11color=#DADADA

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| region11items=

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| region11description=

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| region12name=[[U.S. Virgin Islands]]

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| region12color=#DADADA

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| region12items=

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| region12description=

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}}

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====Windward Islands====

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{{Regionlist

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| region1name=[[Barbados]]

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| region1color=#71B37B

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| region1items=

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| region1description=

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| region2name=[[Grenada]]

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| region2color=#D56D76

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| region2items=

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| region2description=

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| region3name=[[Martinique]]

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| region3color=#68A9C4

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| region3items=

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| region3description=

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| region4name=[[Saint Lucia]]

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| region4color=#D56D76

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| region4items=

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| region4description=

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| region5name=[[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]

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| region5color=#B383B3

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| region5items=

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| region5description=

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| region6name=[[Trinidad and Tobago]]

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| region6color=#A78379

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| region6items=

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| region6description=

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}}

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====ABC Islands====

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{{Regionlist

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| region1name=[[Aruba]]

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| region1color=#D56D76

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| region1items=

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| region1description=

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| region2name=[[Bonaire]]

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| region2color=#71B37B

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| region2items=

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| region2description=

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| region3name=[[Curaçao]]

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| region3color=#71B37B

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| region3items=

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| region3description=

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}}

===Other islands and territories===

===Other islands and territories===

These countries are not part of the Greater or Lesser Antilles but are variously close to it, and are commonly associated with the Caribbean (e.g. members of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community).

These countries are not part of the Greater or Lesser Antilles but are variously close to it, and are commonly associated with the Caribbean (e.g. members of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community).

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* The [[Bahamas]] {{-}} a cluster of islands north of the Greater Antilles and southeast of [[Florida]]

* [[Bermuda]] {{-}} some distance to the north of the Caribbean, but commonly associated with the region

* [[Bermuda]] {{-}} some distance to the north of the Caribbean, but commonly associated with the region

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* [[Cayman Islands]] {{-}} a small island close to Cuba that functions as an offshore financial centre

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* [[Nueva Esparta]] {{-}} is one of the 23 states of Venezuela, granted free-port status in 1973 and located in the Caribbean Sea, just a short distance off the northeastern coast of [[Venezuela]].

* [[Navassa Island]] {{-}} uninhabited wildlife refuge, part of the [[United States]], also claimed by [[Haiti]]

* [[Navassa Island]] {{-}} uninhabited wildlife refuge, part of the [[United States]], also claimed by [[Haiti]]

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* [[Turks and Caicos Islands]] {{-}} a cluster of islands south of the [[Bahamas]]

* [[French Guiana]], [[Guyana]] and [[Suriname]] {{-}} culturally and economically a part of the region, but geographically on mainland [[South America]]

* [[French Guiana]], [[Guyana]] and [[Suriname]] {{-}} culturally and economically a part of the region, but geographically on mainland [[South America]]

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* Several countries in [[Central America]], [[South America]] and [[Mexico]] have shorelines {{-}} and islands {{-}} in the Caribbean

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* Several countries in [[Central America]], [[South America]] and [[Mexico]] have shorelines {{-}} and islands {{-}} in the Caribbean. Such islands are typically much less developed and include the [[Corn Islands]] (Nicaragua), [[San Blas Islands]] (Panama), [[Los Roques]] (Venezuela) and [[Providencia]] Island (Colombia).

==Cities==

==Cities==

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*[[Havana]] &mdash; world-famous capital of [[Cuba]] and largest city of the Caribbean

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*[[Havana]] &mdash; world-famous capital of [[Cuba]], and largest city in the Caribbean

** JetBlue [http://www.jetblue.com] to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Saint Lucia and Barbados mostly to New York and Boston and some also to Washington DC, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

** JetBlue [http://www.jetblue.com] to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Saint Lucia and Barbados mostly to New York and Boston and some also to Washington DC, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

** Virgin Atlantic [http://www.virginatlantic.com/]: from London to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Havana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Tobago and from Manchester to Barbados and St Lucia

** Virgin Atlantic [http://www.virginatlantic.com/]: from London to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Havana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Tobago and from Manchester to Barbados and St Lucia

* Express des Iles [http://www.express-des-iles.com/] offers transport between [[Dominica]], [[Guadaloupe]], [[Martinique]], [[Saint Lucia|St. Lucia]] and others for about €67 one-way and €100 round-trip. Bear in mind that at some islands, if you are not legal resident, proof of onward travel may be required, if you fail to provide it, you may get your entry refused by the immigration officer.

{{isPartOf|North_America}}

{{isPartOf|North_America}}

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Revision as of 19:50, 25 December 2012

The islands of the Caribbean Sea or West Indies are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly strung between North and South America. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more independent travel. With year-round good weather (with the occasional but sometimes serious exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from Europe and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone.

Understand

The Caribbean islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Unfortunately, neither could appreciate their victory forever, although the Arawaks may have had a quiet reign of nearly two millenia. Then the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish, and British arrived, after which the Carib population steeply declined due to various factors. The islands have known many historic battles and more than a few pirate stories.

Regions

Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands, often grouped as Greater Antilles, are by far the largest countries in the area and the most visited by travellers. In the north is the Lucayan Archipelago, which includes The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Caribbean also includes the Lesser Antilles, a group of much smaller islands to the east. Further to the west and south, there are various less frequently visited islands that belong to Central and South American countries.

Lucayan Archipelago

Nations and territories of the Caribbean

Bahamasa cluster of islands north of the Greater Antilles and southeast of Florida

By boat

Express des Iles [24] offers transport between Dominica, Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia and others for about €67 one-way and €100 round-trip. Bear in mind that at some islands, if you are not legal resident, proof of onward travel may be required, if you fail to provide it, you may get your entry refused by the immigration officer.